RHoNJ

It feels like Shannon Beador will never live down the comments she made attributing her weight gain to Vicki Gunvalson. It has been addressed during every single interview she’s done this season and last night’s Watch What Happens Live episode was no exception.

Thankfully for Shannon, she had her girl Jenni Pulos sitting right next to her just in case she needed some support…. and to answer some tough questions herself about the drama between Jeff Lewis and Zoila Chavez.

It’s a new day in the Garden State, and that means everyone is suddenly singing the praises of ex-villain, Danielle Staub, including Real Housewives Of New Jersey’s very own Melissa Gorga. The season eight premiere set viewers up for some interesting dynamics to come, including Siggy Flicker being batsh*t cray-cray, the introduction of pigtail-bedecked Margaret Josephs (who actually seems kind of bada$$ and potentially awesome), and the return of Danielle. Melissa, for one, couldn’t be more delighted that she’s no longer the villain with this new setup!

But the first episode also replayed the sad loss of Joe Gorga and Teresa Giudice’s beloved mother, Antonia, who passed away earlier this year. Melissa admits it was painful to watch it all back again. “Watching the memories of my mother-in-law and hearing her voice brought instant tears to my eyes. She was a wonderful woman, and her life was taken way too young. I never thought I would see the day that Joe broke down and couldn’t work or get out of bed. He was devastated and heartbroken for weeks and still is.”

We start the premiere super-sized episode on a sad note for Teresa and Joe Gorga, who lost their mom this past year after she contracted pneumonia. Teresa cries that her mom was a fighter, but caring and loving too. She would want her family to be strong after her passing, which is what Teresa plans to be as she handles her four daughters, Audriana, Milania, Gabriella, and Gia, solo while Joe Giudice is serving his prison sentence. Or away at “camp,” as the ruse goes.

Say what you want about Teresa Giudice, but the woman definitely knows how to survive and she usually does it all with a smile on her face while keeping her (very public) problems to herself. Throughout the years Teresa has been all about her relationship with Joe Giudice, sticking by him and has insisted that she would never divorce him… until now.

Teresa isn’t saying that she is going to leave the man who she has called “Juicy Joe,” but now she is actually open to the possibility. Will it actually happen? I guess we’ll have to watch and see, but both of Teresa’s parents told the Real Housewives of New Jersey star that they would be on board with the idea if that’s what she decided to do.

Melissa, Danielle, and Margaret may not agree on everything this season – except that they think Siggy is kind of a mess. Margaret shares, “I don’t think we have a villain, but we have the insane. I don’t like to throw shade, but I do have to say that Siggy acts a little crazy – over the top. You know, she walks in a restaurant screaming, she cries very easily, her emotions run high. So that doesn’t really gel with me. I’m a little sarcastic, call it like it is, don’t cry at the drop of a hat.”

Unfortunately, Danielle Staubdid not receive full time status so the fandom isn’t blessed with a tagline from the returning cast member. Aside from the blatant absence of tagline from Danielle, the rest serve as a preview of what to expect from the rest of the ladies this season.

The Real Housewives Of New Jersey is poised to return October 4, so we know what that means…press tours for Teresa Giudice! In a recent interview, Teresa touches on the themes that have run her life for the past several years: fraud, prison, and hustling for money.

While Joe Giudice serves his sentence in New Jersey’s Fort Dix Correctional Institution, Teresa is back home trying to earn a buck to support their four daughters. Bravo paychecks, ghost written memoirs, and paid promotional appearances are keeping the family afloat for now – but how long will it last? According to Teresa, it better last a while, because she doesn’t want to depend on Joe for anything ever again!